Putting club guide



Feb. 25, 1958 A. J. FORTIN 2,824,742

PUTTING CLUB GUIDE Filed May 15, 1955 INVENTOR. Aer/4w? J fiber/m United "States Patent PUTTING CLUB GUIDE Arthur J. Fortin, Worcester, Mass.

Application May 13, 1955, Serial No. 508,219

3 Claims. (Cl. 273-192) This invention relates to a new and improved putting practice device, and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a club guiding device which constrains the hands of the user to a straight line motion so as to teach keeping the hands in the straight line motion required when putting in order to perfect the accuracy of the line of roll of the ball.

It has been proposed in the past to apply a guide means to a practice club to ensure that the head of the club shall move rectilinearly in order to obtain accuracy in putting, but such prior art device overlooks the fact that this does not teach the user to maintain the hands in a rectilinear motion, and when putting without the practice device, it is essential that the hands shall move in a straight line.

The present invention therefore contemplates a device having a straight, sliding, guide means adjacent the grip of the practice club and means for clamping the practice club thereto, so that when the club is used, the grip of the club and therefore the hands of the user, are forced to remain in a rectilinear path in order to teach the correct putting stroke, rather than laying emphasis on constraining the head of the putter to a straight line in order to obtain an accurate putt with the putting device.

Other objects of the invention include the provision of a flat plate to be placed upon the ground and including an upright adjustable standard having a transverse guideway thereon at the upper end thereof, said guideway receiving a slidable rod to one end of which is connected a clamp for clamping a practice putter to the end that the user will find that his hands are constrained to a straight line motion when using the device and that therefore when actually putting without the device his hands will tend to maintain the straight line stroke which is necessary for accurate putting.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation, looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view, parts being broken away and in section; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in elevation illustrating the clamp and the slidable rod, parts being broken away and in section.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a flat plate which is set upon the ground. This plate supports an upright tube 12 having a weighted member 14 attached thereto in an out-of-the-way position in order to assist the stand to maintain its upright position.

The stand 12 telescopically receives an extension 16 which is clamped in vertically adjustable relation by a clamping band 18 having a thumb-nut 20 or the like maintaining the same in adjusted position. At the upper end of theextension 16, there is a transverse hollow tube or the like 22 which extends transversely of the stand and is located in a horizontal position, parallel to plate 10.

The tubular member 22 slidingly receives an elongated rod 24 having outstanding projections 26 to prevent the rod from being extracted from the guide 22 in one direction. At its opposite end, rod 24 is provided with a ball 28 arranged in a tight socket 30 for substantially universal motion of the member 30 with relation thereto. The member 30 is adapted to apply friction to the ball 28 to tend to maintain the relationship of these parts where set.

Socket member 30 is connected to a resilient substantially tubular but split member 32 made in the nature of a well known type of clamp having fingers 34 which when pressed together separate the edges 36 of tubular member 32 by means of extending legs 38 and thus cause retraction of the edges of member 32. This applies a resilient clamping effect to the legs 38 at intermediate portions thereof as at 40, so that the shaft 42 of a golfclub may be gripped thereby in fixed relation to rod 24.

The adjustment of the stand 12, 16 is such as to provide for the clamp 32 to grip the practice club 42 adjacent the gripping end 44 thereof, the hands of the user being normally placed upon the grip 44 to move the club 42 for a putting stroke in the direction of arrow 46 in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that although the angularity of the club 42 may be varied with respect to the ground or with respect to the stand 12, nevertheless when the ball is putted, the grip of the club and the hands of the user are constrained to move in a rectilinear line because the tube 22 is fixed and the rod 24 slides axially in it. The eyes of the user naturally proceed along the line of sight of rod 24, and although the clamp 34 can oscillate both toward and away from the body, the tendency is to swing the club in the plane of rod 24. The movement of the of the stand 12 as seen in Fig. 1, and thus helps to h d the device down by his own weight as well as weight 14, so that the device is steady without the use of any spikes and may be used indoors. Also, the left toe is thereby correctly located. The practice ball may be placed as close to the toe of the user resting on plate 10 as is considered to be natural to the one who is practicing, without disturbing the rectilinear guiding function of the apparatus, and by means of the extension 16 the most desirable height for the individual user may be achieved.

The tubular guide 22 may be provided with a slide bearing 48 if desired for additional ease of sliding motion of rod 24; and a handle 50 may be applied at the top portion of tubular guide 22 if desired in order to carry the device. This handle is positioned so as not to interfere with the left-hand of the user at the finish of the stroke which is adjacent the left-hand end of tubular guide 22 as seen in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but What I claim is:

l. A putting practice device comprising a vertical stand, a horizontal tubular member fixed thereto at the upper end thereof at a height approximating the hands of the user while putting, a slidable rod guided in the 3 tubular member, a club clamp on the rod to hold the club, a ball and socket for the clamp so that the rod may be swung, with the major part of the club below the rod the club being movable toward and away from the stand, so that the area in front of the user is free and clear.

' 2. 'A putting practice device comprising a vertical stand, ahorizontal tubular member fixed thereto at the upper end thereof at a height approximating the hands of the user while putting, a slidable rod in the tube, a club clamp on the rod to hold the club, a ball and socket for the clamp so that the rod may be swung, with the major part of the club below the rod, and means to adjust the height of the stand, the club being movable in a plane to and from the stand.

3. A putting practice device comprising a vertical stand, a horizontal tubular member fixed thereto at the upper end thereof at a height approximating the hands of the user while putting, a slidable rod in the tube, a club clamp on the rod to holdthe club, a ball and socked for the clamp so that the rod may be swung, with the major part of the club below the rod, 2. plate supporting the stand on the ground, said plate extending under the rod and providing positioning means for the left foot of the user, the latter aiding in holding the stand by placing the foot on the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

